How should we treat our enemies?

[Flynn]

JAF

Australians are not permitted to carry a gun, it solves a lot of the problems of being shot and killed. If you can't get a gun it makes it more difficult to shoot someone.

We've had a discussion on gun control in debate and the overwhelming opinion from Americans is that it is their constitutional right to carry a gun.

It's hard to do a comparison, Australian population 20 million, America 300 million people.

We have violence here, every country does, I don't fear being shot by some street thug but that doesn't mean to say I can't be attacked with some other crude type weapon i.e. a house brick or fence paling etc etc.

I’ve been lucky enough to travel to a few major international cities and by far the scariest place of a night time was New York.

Over here is safe, Canberra where I live has a population of about 400,000 people. Statistics released today say that Canberra has six out of the top ten wealthiest suburbs in Australia. One of the suburbs named is not where I live but at least I own a rental property in one of them.

Like you I wouldn’t leave my country to find a greener pasture because there is no greener pasture than where you were born.

Life is good !

[JustAnotherFace]

And there, we can agree. I was born in a rough spot, grew up in a rough spot, and have been a part of the problem before joining the military, starting a family, and leaving all that behind. But still, while I've lived across America and been to quite a few other countries, I still wouldn't leave America because it's what I'm used to. I can sleep through gunfire like some can sleep through music or the television. Either way, that's a little bit off topic. I think that the issue here is how we should treat our enemies... I think Americans should hurt their enemy prisoners... personally.

[indianajoe]

I like the words in a Stephen Stills song.." I think enemies are fantasies... somebody elses living nightmare"...~ Isn't It About Time

How can we hate people we never met?..why do people do things wrong to people they've never met?..Usually the motivating factor is fear.. fear that is instilled by rulers...politicians etc..For example the Japanese civilians were very afraid of being captured by American forces because they were told in part that we would "kill and eat their babies"..
Interestingly , the Japanese did exactly that during the Nanking China invasion..although they deny such things happened.

[JustAnotherFace]

Originally Posted by indianajoe

I like the words in a Stephen Stills song.." I think enemies are fantasies... somebody elses living nightmare"...~ Isn't It About Time

How can we hate people we never met?..why do people do things wrong to people they've never met?..Usually the motivating factor is fear.. fear that is instilled by rulers...politicians etc..For example the Japanese civilians were very afraid of being captured by American forces because they were told in part that we would "kill and eat their babies"..
Interestingly , the Japanese did exactly that during the Nanking China invasion..although they deny such things happened.

Just like it is... or at least used to be - not sure if it still is... illegal to teach about the holocaust in Germany.

But to your point, it's not fear that drives me to think that we treat our prisoners too well, its logic: The enemy, whoever that is at the time, would not think twice before killing an American civilian or treating captured soldiers worse than dogs. We fight too civilized. If we started fighting like them and took the war into their homes and their hearts, they may start to see things a little bit differently.

[indianajoe]

Originally Posted by JustAnotherFace

Just like it is... or at least used to be - not sure if it still is... illegal to teach about the holocaust in Germany.

But to your point, it's not fear that drives me to think that we treat our prisoners too well, its logic: The enemy, whoever that is at the time, would not think twice before killing an American civilian or treating captured soldiers worse than dogs. We fight too civilized. If we started fighting like them and took the war into their homes and their hearts, they may start to see things a little bit differently.

I think treating enemies as harshly as they do us mentality only leads to worst treatment..one side will always up the ante ...

[Don'tLikeStinkingThinking]

IJoe I totally agree.

Some of the statements I have seen posted contradict the stated lifestyles/morals of many posters. Which is it people? Pick and choose when it suits your immediate goal or standing tall with your convictions. We were known as a great nation for the very fact the way we treated our enemies. We can't say that now and we have no real compassion from others unless we hand them a hefty foriegn aid package.

The only way to convice those that think and do differently is by Christ's example, Budda, Dahli Lama, confusion lol, etc...

[Flynn]

Originally Posted by JustAnotherFace

And there, we can agree. I was born in a rough spot, grew up in a rough spot, and have been a part of the problem before joining the military, starting a family, and leaving all that behind. But still, while I've lived across America and been to quite a few other countries, I still wouldn't leave America because it's what I'm used to. I can sleep through gunfire like some can sleep through music or the television. Either way, that's a little bit off topic. I think that the issue here is how we should treat our enemies... I think Americans should hurt their enemy prisoners... personally.

JAF

I’d be lying if I said part of me didn’t agree with what you say about how you should treat your enemies but it’s the sort of thing you don’t say out loud.

It’s like a Homer Simpson episode where Homer asks ?

DID I SAY THAT OUT LOUD !

That’s why most of the rest of the world openly or secretly hate the type of American mentality where you declare yourselves to have better moral and ethical scruples than any other nation of people.

America's enemy already knows you not only want to beat your enemy, you want to stoop to targetting and hurting their relatives AND neighbours.

[Don'tLikeStinkingThinking]

It is that kind of "MOB" mentality the rest of the world see us as...bullies and not much more!

[anna_hun]

Originally Posted by sybarite

Thousands of Al Queda have been killed in Iraq including the most wanted, Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi.
That's thousands less that can slam planes into our bulidings killing innocent people.

....but there was NO Al Quaida in Iraq under Saddam...!!!!

...???

[hortysir]

Originally Posted by anna_hun

....but there was NO Al Quaida in Iraq under Saddam...!!!!

...???

I'll reply to that after I reply to the OP